Ariel Atkins Traded to Sky; Mystics Get 2025 No. 3 WNBA Draft Pick, More

The Chicago Sky reportedly bolstered their roster with a major trade on Sunday.

The Sky announced that they acquired two-time All-Star guard Ariel Atkins from the Washington Mystics in exchange for the No. 3 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, a 2027 first-round pick swap and a 2027 second-round pick.

Atkins had spent her entire WNBA career in Washington after the franchise drafted her seventh overall in 2018. She quickly established herself as a defensive ace, earning the first of four straight All-Defensive second-team selections in her rookie year. She was a part of the team's 2019 WNBA championship victory over the Connecticut Sun.

Atkins blossomed into a reliable option on the offensive end and earned back-to-back All-Star selections in 2021 and 2022. She was also named to the All-Defensive first team in the latter year.

During the 2024 campaign, the 28-year-old started all 40 games for the Mystics and averaged team highs of 14.9 points and 1.5 steals while also contributing 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists. However, Washington went 14-26 and missed the playoffs for the second time in the last four years.

Atkins is now a member of a Chicago team that went 13-27 and also fell short of the postseason. She's the latest addition to a revamped roster that also includes offseason acquisitions Courtney Vandersloot, Kia Nurse and Rebecca Allen and second-year stars Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso.

Trading Atkins continues an offseason of change for the Mystics, who also parted ways with general manager Mike Thibault and head coach Eric Thibault in October. The team hired Jamila Wideman as GM and Sydney Johnson as head coach two months ago.

Following Sunday's deal, the Mystics now own the Nos. 3, 4 and 6 selections in the 2025 draft, giving them the opportunity to accelerate their rebuild with an influx of young talent.